Vehicle lift



L. O. SMITH VEHICLE LIFT Sept. 3, 1929.

Filed NOV. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet `1 Sept. 3, 1929. o. SMITH VEHICLE LIFT Filed Nov. 25, 192'? 4 Shets-Sheet 2 A lNVENYToR 'L60 y0.1722 zh@ SePf- 3, 1929- L. o. SMITH 1,727,182 l VEHICLE LIFT Filed NOV. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-SheetA 4 if y/yy) INVENTOR 5 repairing the same, and like purposes.

Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

luiTEn STATES 1,727,182 PATENT OFFICE.

LEO O. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOCOLUMBIA. MACHINE WORKSl AND MALLEABLE IRON COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

VEHICLE LIFT.

Application filed November 25, 1927. Serial No. 235,413.

The object of my present invention is the provision of an improved lift whereby motor vehicles may be raised to gain ready access to the under parts thereof for examining and In carrying out the invention I preferably em ploy sets of rails between which there are mounted reciprocating carriages together with channels connected to the carriages by links or otherwise whereby as the carriages are moved toward and away from each other the channels are raised to lift a vehicle which may have been run upon the channels. The invention also includes a platform of improved construction which is normally adapted to lie within a channel member in order to form a level or uniform surface with the edges thereof, and which is so connected to the channel as to be swung therefrom to a position in which the platform provides a support at the side of the vehicle for the use of a workman as may be necessary. These and other features of the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on line 1 1, Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the improved vehicle lift,

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3, Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on line 4 4, Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan of one of the carriages.

Figure 6 is a transverse section of the rails illustrating a carriage mounted between the same,

Figure 7 is a nartial alan of one of ther e l l channels and Figure 8 is a section on line 8 8, Figure 7.

By reference to the drawing it will be seen that the lift comprising the present invention may be placed in or upon a suitable foundation 10. Secured in place in 0r upon the base or foundation 10 there are sets of rails employed in pairs. As illustrated rails 11 and 12 are suitably spaced and secured upon ties or sleepers 13, and rails 14 and 15y are likewise suitably secured on ties or sleepers 16. These pairs of rails are placed in suitably spaced parallel positions so that the distance between them is the same as that between the treads of the usual motor vehicle.

Between the rails of each pair I employ sets of reciprocating riages are also employed in pairs, as indicated at 17, 18, 19, 20, between one pair of rails, and 21, 22, 23, 24 between the other pairs of rails. Each of these carriages is similarly constructed and adapted to be re- Ciprocated between the rails and upon the flanges thereof and consequently but one of the carriages will be described. As illustrated, each carriage preferably comprises a base plate 25 having a centrally disposed rib 26 on the under side thereof and flanges 27 and 28 on the upper side at the ends thereof. The flange 27 is provided with a centrally disposed lug 29 extending outwardly,therefrom and in a similar manner the flange 28 is provided with a lug 30 corresponding to the lug 29. In a centrally disposed position the carriage is provided with a cap` or bearing plate 31, which, as illustrated, is secured in position on the base plate by means of screws 32 and 33. The cap 31 and the adjacent portion of the base plate are adapted to form a bearing for a screw threaded shaft, as hereinafter described. The cap 31 is also provided with lugs 34 and 35 which are similar to and so placed as to be in alignment with the lugs 29 and 30. At the ends of the carriage the same is fitted with sets of rollers 36 and 37 at one end of the carriage and 38 and 39at the opposite end thereof in such positions that the lower set-s of these rollers are adapted to travel upon the lower flanges of the rails and the upper sets of rollers to contact with the upper flanges of the rails when. the carriage for any reason may be lifted or raised from the lower flanges vof the rails. Each carriage is provided with a set of links which, as illustrated, are also employed in pairs and at corresponding ends are pivotally connected to the carriage, for example, the link 40 is connected at one end on a pin 40, which is fitted in bearings. 29 and 34', provided therefor in the lugs 29 and 34. In a similar manner the corresponding end of a link 41 is mounted on a pin 41, which is journaled in bearings 30 and provided therefor in the lugs 30 and 35. The links and 41 are connected to the carriage 18, as illustrated. A complementary carriage 17 has corresponding ends of similar links 42 and 43 connected thereto in like manner. The links which are similarly mounted in the carriage 19 are indicated at 44 and 45, and those connected to the carriage 20 are indicated at 46 and 47. 1n the other ser; @alle the links 4.8 and 4.9 celia-echas at corresponding ends in the carriage 21 and the links 50 and 51 in the carriage 22. In the same way the links 52 and 53 are connected to the carriage 23 and the links 54 and 55 to the carriage 24.

Associated with each set of rails andparallel therewith, above the same I employ a suitable channel or other similar member. The channel associated with the rails 11 and 12 is indicated at 56, while that associated with the rails 14 and 15 is indicated at 57. These channels are provided with suitable brackets whereby the same may be connected pivotally to the opposite ends of the correspondin g set of links, for example, the channel 57 is provided with sets of brackets 58, 59, 60 and 61 to which respectively the opposite ends of the links 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 are connected.

The carriages 17 and 18 are actuated by a shaft 62 which passes through the screw threaded bearing 63 provided therefor, for example, between the cap 31 and. the base plate 25 of the carriage 18, as hereinbefore described. This shaft is provided with a right hand thread in one portion thereof and a left hand thread in the other portion thereof, one portion passing through the carriage 18 and the other portion in like manner through the bearing provided therefor in the carriage 17. rIhis shaft 62, as illustrated, is journaled in the bearings 64, 65, and 66, the bearing 65 being between the carriages 17 and 18. A simi lar shaft or continuation of the shaft 62 is in like manner mounted in bearings 67, 68 and 69 and is employed for moving the carriag-es 19 and 20. In a similar manner be` tween the rails 14 and 15 there is a shaft 70 mounted on bearings 71, 72 and 73 at one end and bearings 74,75 and 76 at theV opposite end. This shaft whether made in one or two parts is similar in all respects to the shaft 62 and is employed to operate the carriages 21, 22, 23 and 24.

The apparatus also includes a counter shaft 77 mounted in suitable bearings 78 and 79 between the rails 12 and 13 and in suitable bearings 80 and 81 between the rails 14 and 15. IXteriorly of the rails one end of this counter shaft is journaled in bearing` 82. The counter shaft is fitted with a worm gear 83 between the bearings 78 and 79, which worm gear meshes with a worm on the shaft 62 in order to turn the shaft. Between the bearings 80 and 81 the counter shaft 77 is fitted with a worm gear adapted to mesh with a worm on the shaft 70 whereby the counter shaft 77 is also adapted to simultaneously turn the shaft 70. The counter shaft 77 may be drivenl from a motor 85, the shaft 86 of which is fitted with a gear 87 meshing with the gear 88 on the counter shaft 77.

Each of the channel members may be tt-ed with a series of spaced stringere indicated at 89 connected in aspaced, relationwill be understood, the Stringer is adapted "i normally to lie within the channel so as to provide a` uniform surface with the upper edges of the sides thereof, and may be swung on its pivotal points to a position shown in Figure 8 wherein the stops bear against the i channel and limit the movement of the platform, whereby the same assumes a position at the side of the channel for t-he convenience of a workman or the support of a sling, or for any other similar purposes.

From the foregoing` it will now be understood that the parts of the apparatus comprising the vehicle lift are normally in the positions shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawing in which the stringers 89 assume their places within the channels, and the upper surfaces thereof and the edges of the channels are substantially level with the base or foundation in which the apparatus is placed. In the use of the apparatus the stringers are shifted from their normal positions within the channels to positions exterior thereof, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 8. With the stringers in this enterior position a vehicle may be run upon the channels. After a vehicle has been run upon the channels the motor is started and the counter shaft 77 driven thereby.y 'Ihe counter shaft 77 drives the shafts 62 and 70 and these shafts actuate the carriages in each set thereof to move the same away from each other. In this operation of the carriages the carriages 17 and 18 are moved away from each other, the carriages 19 and 20 are moved away from each other, the carriages 21 and 22 are moved away from each other, and the carriages 23 and 24 are moved away from each other. In so operating the carriages the channels are raised to lift the vehicle, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, in order to obtain ready access to the under parts thereof for the purposes of repairs or otherwise. Obviously also by reversing the direction of running the motor the sets of carriages may be brought together or moved toward each other to thereby lower the channels and the vehicle carried thereby, making it possible to readily run the vehicle oftn the channels.

I claim is my invention:

1. In a vehicle lift, a set .of rails each havn ing laterally disposed upper and lower flanges, carriages mounted between the said rails and adapted to run on the said lower flanges thereof and to be maintained in place by the said upper flanges thereof, a. channel member, devices for connecting the said channel member to the carriages, and devices for moving the carriages away from and toward each other to raise and lower .the said channel member.

2. ln a. vehicle lift, a pair of rails each hav ing laterally disposed upper and lower flanges, carriages extending between the said rails, rollers mounted in the end portions of each carriage and adapted to run on the lower flanges of the said rails, the said carriages being adapted to be maintained in place by the upper flanges of the said rails, a channel platform member, devices for connecting the channel platform member to the said carriages, and means for moving the carriages away from and toward each other to raise and lower the said channel platform member.

3. ln a vehicle lift, a pair of rails, each rail having laterally disposed upper and lower flanges, carriages adapted to extend between the said rails, a set of rollers mounted in the lower end portions of each of the said carriages and adapted to run on the said lower flanges of the said rails, a set of rollers mounted in the upper end portions of each of the said carriages and adapted to contact with the upper flanges of the said rails to maintain the said carriages in position therebetween, a channel platform member, devices for pivotally connecting the said channel platform member to the said carriages, and means for moving the carriages away from and toward each other to raise and lower the said channel platform member.

In a vehicle lift, a pair of rails, each rail having laterally disposed upper and lower flanges, carriages adapted to extend between the said rails, a set of rollers mounted in the lower end portions of each of the said carriages and adapted to run on the said lower flanges of the said rails, a set of rollers mounted in the upper end portions of each of the said carriages and adapted to contact with the upper flanges of the said rails to maintain the said carriages in position therebetween, a channel platform member, links pivotally connected at one end to the said carriages and at the opposite end to the said channel platform member, and means for moving the said carriages away from and toward each other to raise and lower the said channel platform member.

5. ln a vehicle lift, a pair of rails, each rail having laterally disposed upper and lower flanges, carriages adapted to extend between the said rails, a set of rollers mounted in the lower end portions of each of the said-carriages and adapted to run on the said lower flanges of the said rails, a set of rollers mounted in the upper end portions of each of the said carriages and adapted to contact with the upper flanges of the said rails to maintain the said carriages in position therebetween, a channel platform member, links pivotally connected at one end to the said carriages and at the opposite end to the said channel platform member, a screw threaded shaft passing through and engaging the said carriages, and means for turning the said shaft to move the carriages away from and toward each other and thereby through the said links to raise and lower the said channel platform member.

Signed by me this j day of October, 1927.

LEO O. SMITH. 

